"But straight away his name is called and he's jumping up and down going 'Yeeeeees'.

"My case wasn't helped when they switched channels just after that but they switched back just in time for me to hear my name and, ah well, I was just delighted.

"But after that you think of the lads not selected, teammates, and realise just how lucky you are."

A third Munster player, Ronan O'Gara, took a different approach when it came to learning of his Lions fate.

O'Gara toured with the Lions in 2001 and 2005 and attempted not to watch or listen to this year's announcement, preferring instead to wait for others to inform him of his inclusion or non-selection.

Having gone down to Musgrave Park with Doug Howlett to practice his kicking ahead of tonight's Magners League clash with the Scarlets, O'Gara finally gave in to the urge to listen live as the 1.30pm announcement came ever closer.

"I said to Dougie, 'come on, into the jeep, turn on the radio', and I heard it there," said O'Gara, who was one of two fly-halves named in the 37-man party.

"It's my third trip but you never take anything for granted in this game. I'm delighted of course, delighted for everyone and at the same time gutted for a few of the boys, Marcus (Horan), John (Hayes) and Leams (Denis Leamy), who didn't make the cut."